Implementation of home-based colorectal cancer screening among average-risk population in semi-rural Malaysia in the context of a pandemic

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in Malaysia and is characterized by late diagnosis. Increasing screening uptake is vital to down-staging cancer and improving patient outcomes. The Colorectal Cancer Screening Intervention for Malaysia (CRC-SIM) aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention comprising home-based testing using the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT). The study was undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was the first in Malaysia to implement a home-based iFOBT screening test and explore the challenges and acceptability of delivering mailed iFOBT kits. Adapting and evolving CRC screening methods to reflect the profiles of different subpopulation groups is crucial, as demonstrated in the CRC-SIM study. This innovative approach can reach rural and under-resourced areas and improve CRC screening in Malaysia.